The UAE Ministry of Education and the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) are the bodies that supervise and oversee private and public education in Abu Dhabi. The former, set up in 1993, is responsible for certifying educational institutes in the UAE, while the latter, formed in 2005, is responsible for all education in Abu Dhabi.
Rating an educational institute as the best is mostly subjective because it all depends on personal experiences, views, likes, and dislikes. In Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education & Knowledge (ADEK) conducts a biennial inspection of all schools and rates them on six key parameters. The educational institutes are rated between Outstanding and Very Weak, where the former means the education level is exceptionally good, and the latter means the quality is much below expectation.
This article lists the top British, American, Indian, and International educational institutes for children up to 18 years in Abu Dhabi. The Irtiqaa School Rating by ADEK is included to help parents make well-informed choices.
Top British Schools in Abu Dhabi
The British School Al Khubairat, PO Box 4001
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
BSAK, or the British School Al Khubairat, has 50+ years of undisputed track record in academic excellence. Offering a co-ed environment, BSAK has an inclusive school culture with seasoned faculty and mostly British teachers. It also offers top-notch extracurricular activities and exposure to its pupils. The educational institute caters to the age group ranging from 3 to 18 years old, with the teaching medium being English and Arabic. The fees range between AED 43,160 and 70,630 per child per year.
Learning at BSAK comes across in 3 stages – Primary, Secondary, and the award-winning Sixth Form. The Sixth Form gives students the flexibility to choose between Creative Arts, A Levels, and BTEC paths.
Website: https://www.britishschool.sch.ae/
Al Muna Primary School Ad, Part of Aldar Academies
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
The Academy is one of the most established schools for kids. It is 15 years old and is one of the seven Aldar Academies and 1 Nursery, which is rated as the top educational organization for kids in Abu Dhabi. Special features of the educational institution include the use of advanced technology for learning in class by teachers and students, one full-time nurse and one counselor to take care of the mental and physical health of kids, a safe and secure campus, and full-range of sporting opportunities including a sports hall, netball court, soft play areas, 25 meters swimming pool, and Astr Turf playing field for kids. This campus offers education to grades Nursery to Year 6.
The fees, as mentioned on the ADEK site, range between AED 43,500 and 45,260 per child per year.
Website: https://www.almunaacademy.sch.ae/
Al Yasmina School, Khalifa City
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
Another school from the Aldar Academies that is ranked outstanding by ADEK is the Al Yasmina School in Khalifa City. The campus facilitates learning from grade nursery to 18-year-olds. The results of IGSCE and A-Level have been consistently outstanding for many years now. The institute focuses a lot on the personal, social, and relationship-building aspects of the child. The annual fees range between AED 42,900 and 61,150.
Website: https://www.alyasminaacademy.sch.ae/
Pearl Primary, Al Dhafrah
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
Pearl Primary is one of the few British schools in Abu Dhabi to have received an outstanding BSO (British School Overseas) rating. Some of the key characteristic features of the primary educational institute are – a part of the Unified Champion Schools, the recipient of the School Mental Health Award, boosts a vibrant international community, received the High-Performance Learning Award, and is the very first in Abu Dhabi to receive the prestigious accreditation.
Website: https://www.thepearlacademy.sch.ae/
Cranleigh School Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
Education at the Cranleigh School is all about getting prepared for life rather than just for exams. The learnings here are based on an education system that is 150+ years old, as a part of the British curriculum. The educational institution offers IGSCE and A-Level courses along with BTEC levels. The annual fee is between AED 65,000 and 96,333, and it offers education to Grade Nursery till Year 13, starting Pre-Prep at 3 years, Prep at 7 years, Senior at 13 years, and Sixth Form at 16 years of age.
Website: https://www.cranleigh.ae/
Merryland International School, Mohamed Bin Zayed City
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
The Merryland International School in Abu Dhabi is accredited as the Brand Ambassador by the Cambridge Assessment International Education. The institute offers Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary, and Advanced IGCSE – AS & A level courses. The objective is to encourage the creative thinking skills of students along with problem-solving and academics. The school is focused on raising a generation of confident young global citizens. The fees range between AED 23,500 and 41,100.
Website: https://www.merrylandinternational.net/
American Schools in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi International Pvt, Abu Dhabi Island & Abu Dhabi International, Mohamed Bin Zayed City
Irtiqaa Rating: 5 stars (Very Good)
Curriculum: American
Type: Private
The Abu Dhabi International School (AIS) enjoys an A rating from the ADEK. Students here belong to as many as 60 different nationalities. The institution has a 97% pass rate in external examinations and a 100% university placement rate. It is a co-ed K-12-day educational institute and is operational since 1992. A total of 3,500 students are currently studying at both campuses of the school, with 5% reserved for kids with learning disabilities. The fee at the AIS, Abu Dhabi Island range between AED 13,660 and 29,280, while it is between 30,800 and 46,400 at AIS, Mohamed Bin Zayed City.
Website: https://aisschools.com/
Al Ain American Private School, Al Ain Asharej
Irtiqaa Rating: 5 stars (Very Good)
Curriculum: American
Type: Private
The Al Ain American School was established in 2006 and follows the California Common Core Standards curriculum. The purpose is to offer students a creative learning environment starting from kindergarten up till Grade 9. The fee ranges between AED 14,600 and 24,980. The campus is focused on academics and extracurricular activities that include Music Club, Art Club, Board Games Club, Quran Club, Calligraphy Club, Public Speaking, and Football Club.
Website: https://americanschoolalain.com/
Indian Schools in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS), Abu Dhabi Island
Irtiqaa Rating: 4 stars (Good)
Curriculum: Indian
Type: Private
ADIS believes in offering a holistic learning and growing environment to children with concerted efforts to develop academic, non-academic, and physical education skills. The institution also partakes in the development of community skills in kids too. The school fees are in the range of AED 5,120 and 7,550. The school dates back to 1975, when it was primarily set up to provide education to kids from the Indian community.
Website: https://adisuae.com/
Bright Riders, Mohamed Bin Zayed City
Irtiqaa Rating: 4 stars (Good)
Curriculum: Indian
Type: Private
Bright Riders follows the CBSE curriculum and offers students courses beginning from kindergarten to Grade 12. The age group it caters to falls between 3.8 years to 18 years. The institution follows a participative format and works in partnership with parents to ensure that their students are able to grow and develop in a caring environment. The charges annually are between AED 9,470 and 19,650.
Website: https://www.brightriders.ae/
Dunes International, Mohamed Bin Zayed City
Irtiqaa Rating: 4 stars (Good)
Curriculum: Indian
Type: Private
Affiliated with CBSE, Dunes International is one of the top Indian schools. The environment is child-centric, and all endeavors are undertaken to provide the child with opportunities for personal growth. The educational institute is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for extracurricular and sporting activities. The fee ranges between AED 12,000 and 23,500.
Website: https://www.dunesinternationalschool.com/
International Indian School, Baniyas
Irtiqaa Rating: 4 stars (Good)
Curriculum: Indian
Type: Private
With the CBSE curriculum, this institution in Baniyas West ensures practical and application-based learning in different subjects. With a safe and congenial environment, the campus is known for being a stimulant in letting children reach their full potential. Kids start at the age of 4 years here. The 4C’s that the International Indian School stands by are – Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Communication. The fee is approximately between AED 11,600 and 21,100.
Website: https://www.iischoolabudhabi.com/
International Schools in Abu Dhabi
Bloom World Academy (BWA)
Curriculum: IB
Type: Private
The BWA is part of Bloom Education, an Abu Dhabi-based educational service provider. The Brighton Colleges in Abu Dhabi, rated outstanding by ADEK, are the premier institutes from the group. BWA opened its doors in August 2022 with 280 students belonging to 53 nationalities.
Backed by the strong experience of the group and a seasoned management team, BWA is focused on offering education in a customized manner. This is evident from the flexible timing from 09:00 hours to 16:00 hours. Besides this, there’s wraparound care offered from 0700 hours till 0900 hours and from 1700 hours till 1900 hours. These extra hours see kids indulging in co-curricular activities with the option to join the homework club. The fee ranges between AED 50,000 and 78,000.
Website: https://www.bloomeducation.com/school/bloom-world-academy/
Raha International School, Khalifa City
Irtiqaa Rating: 6 stars (Outstanding)
Curriculum: British
Type: Private
The Raha International School caters to kids from the age of 4 years up to 18 years, from Early Years 1 to Grade 12. The Khalifa City Campus is ranked as outstanding by ADEK. As a part of the Taaleem Family School, the focus here is on each individual learner or child so that they not only excel in their studies but also as global citizens. The fees at Raha International School range between AED 39,330 and 61,900.
Website: https://www.ris.ae/
Affordable Schools in Abu Dhabi
From the affordability angle, the schools with an Indian curriculum are the most affordable. A quick review of the fees mentioned in the different sections above will validate the same. For example, at the Abu Dhabi Indian School, the fee range is AED 5,120 to 7,550, one of the least amongst all good and outstanding educational institutes in the city.
Parents can also consider American curriculum institutions as the fees are pretty affordable compared to the British and the International curriculum.
The Best Schools in Abu Dhabi for Expats
There are numerous top-ranking educational institutes in Abu Dhabi for expats. It fundamentally depends on what kind of curriculum the parents want their kids to pursue. Abu Dhabi educational institutes offer to learn in multiple curriculum formats – IB, American, Bangladesh, British, Canadian, French, German, Indian, Iranian, Japanese, Pakistan, Philippines, and SABIS. Based on the curriculum and the Irtiqaa rankings, expats can make the right choice of school for their kids.
Best Private Schools in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has several private schools with different curriculums and boards. Almost all of them provide excellent academic programs, outstanding campuses, various extracurricular activities, and a study-friendly environment. Choosing the best private school is challenging; however, some of the most popular private schools in Abu Dhabi are The British International School, GEMS American Academy, Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS), Repton Foundation School, and Horizon Private School.
Conclusion
These are some of the world-class schools in Abu Dhabi. When looking for the right one for your child, make sure to go through the ADEK ratings on the official website since these ratings are fair and help understand the quality of education provided by each school.